Bookrack for connected seating



United States Patent BOOKRACK FOR CONNECTED SEATING Edward T. Manne,Grand Rapids, Mich., assignor to American Seating Company, Grand Rapids,Mich., a corporation of New Jersey Application September 7, 1954, SerialNo. 454,428

1 Claim. (Cl. 155-188) 1 The present invention relates to connectedseating of the type installed in theaters, auditoriums, and churches andthe object of the invention is to provide a bookrack for attachment tothe backs of chairs in one row and adapted to contain books or the likefor the use of occupants of chairs in the next row rearwardly.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanyingdrawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a rear perspective of two connected chairs having the newbookrack applied thereto and with a book in position in the bookrack;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the connectedchairs and showing the empty bookrack applied thereto;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional view of partsthereof taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the same taken online 4-4 of Figure 3.

Referring now in detail to this drawing, the chairs there shown are ofthe type known as connected seating, which is commonly installed intheaters, auditoriums and churches, and in which adjoining chairs ineach row are supported by a common middle standard between them. Such amiddle standard is designated in the drawing. The seats 11 of the pairof adjoining chairs are mounted on the standard 10 by suitable means,not shown. Back clips 12 are secured to the opposite upper rear sidefaces of the standard 10 as by a common upper bolt 13 having a nut 14thereon and a similar lower bolt and nut, not shown. These back clips 12extend rearwardly beyond the standard 10 and then laterally outwardly.The backs 15 for the chairs have their adjoining sides mounted on therespective laterally extending portions of the back clips 12 as by meansof upper and lower rivets all designated 16.

The bookrack is fabricated of lengths of rod stock bent and securedtogether to make a body of basketlike form and hook portions extendingforwardly-upwardly therefrom. The upper length of rod designated 17 hasits lower portion 18 bent to a generally rectangular form withforwardly-upwardly converging arms 19 welded together at 20 andterminating in forwardly and downwardly turned upper hook portions 21adapted for hooking over the upper edges of the respective back clips 12between the standard 10 and the adjacent backs 15, as shown. The lowerforward length of rod designated 22 has a horizontal upper portion 23secured by welding 24 to the rectangular lower portion 18 of the upperrod 17, and leg portions 25 turned downwardly from the oppoice site endsof the horizontal portion 23. The lower rearward length of roddesignated 26 has a horizontal upper portion 27 secured by welding 28 tothe rectangular lower portion 18 of the upper rod 17, leg portions 29turned downwardly from the opposite ends of said horizontal portion 27,and bottom portions 30 turned forwardly from the lower ends of said legportions 29. These bottom portions 30 are secured by welding 31 to thelower ends of the leg portions 25 of rod 22 but extend forwardly beyondsaid leg portions 25 and are provided with resilient rubber bumpers 32adapted to abut against the chair backs 15 respectively.

When properly applied to the chairs as shown, such bookracks serve asconvenient depositories for books and the like, being especially usefulin school auditoriums for receiving books carried into the auditoriumsby students and in churches for receiving hymnals and prayer books.

While but one specific embodiment of the invention has been herein shownand described, it will be understood that numerous details may bealtered or omitted without departing from the spirit of the invention asdefined by the following claim.

I claim:

A bookrack for use with connected seating, said seating comprisingadjoining chairs having a common supporting standard provided with backclips extending rearwardly therefrom and then laterally outwardly andhaving chair backs mounted on the laterally outwardly extending portionsof said back clips respectively, said bookrack comprising: an upperlength of rod stock bent to forma generally rectangular and generallyhorizontal part and forwardly-upwardly converging arms terminating inforwardly-downwardly turned hook portions adapted for hooking over theback clips respectively between the standard and said chair backs; alower forward length of rod stock bent to form a front horizontalportion secured to the forward portion of the generally rectangular partof the upper length of rod stock and to form front leg portionsdepending from the ends of said front horizontal portion; and a lowerrearward length of rod stock bent to form a rear horizontal portionsecured to the rearward portion of the generally rectangular part of theupper length of rod stock and to form rear leg portions depending fromthe ends of said rear horizontal portion and to form bottom portionsextending forwardly from the lower ends of said rear leg portions andconnected to the lower ends of the front leg portions, said bottomportions being extended forwardly beyond the lower ends of the front legportions and being provided with bumpers adapted to abut against saidchair backs respectively.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS578,755 Linn Mar. 16, 1897 1,284,579 Brown Nov. 12, 1918 1,359,125Stevens Nov. 16, 1920 1,722,122 Wilson July 23, 1929 1,887,159 KnightNov. 8, 1932 2,002,328 Mitchell May 21, 1935 2,211,199 Oorken Aug. 13,1940 2,631,735 Levesque Mar. 17, 1953 2,672,988 Johnson Mar. 23, 1954

